Yarn tension for automatic shuttles



2 Sheets-Sheet, 1

Zan,

inn/15713.

Jan. 21, 1936. A. M. sERGEsoN ET AL YARN TENSION FOR AUTOMATIC SHUTTLES Filed Ang. 29, 1952 Jan. 21, 1936. A. M. s ERGEsN Er AL 2,028,692

YARN TENSION FOR AUTOMATIC SHUTIVLES Filed Aug. 29, 1952 v 2 sheets-Shania 7, /QZQ l Q l f 9/ l "W i Patented Jan. 21, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE YARN TENSION FOR AUTOMATIC SHUTTLES Application August 29, 1932, serial No. 639,926

4 claims. (o1. 139-;217)

.The principal object of this invention is to provide an efficient yarn tension for automatic or self-threading shuttles.

To this general end, a more specific object of -5 the invention is to provide a tension o1' the stated vcharacter which shall insure immediate entrance of the yarn into the tension in the normal rethreading operation.

A further and specic object of the invention is to provide a tension of the stated character that shall be highly eicient for all characters of yarn,.inc1uding the high twist variety.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a tension of the lstated character that Vwill not tend to accumulate lint and dirt and which Yshall be practically non-clogging. Y

A still further object of the invention is to provide a tension that shall be so positioned relative to the self-threading thread block of the shuttle as to permit a normally strong construction for the said block. v

The invention further resides in certain structural features and arrangements hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the attached drawings,

` in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one end of a shuttle `equipped with a tension made in accordance with our invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3, Fig. 1;

Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are, respectively, views in `perspective of elements of the tension device Vshown in the preceding figures;

Figs. 8 and 9 are, respectively, sectional views corresponding to Fig. 2 but illustrating modifications within the scope of the invention;

Figs. 10, l1 and 12 are views in perspective of -elements of the tension illustrated in Fig. 8;

Fig. 13 is a view in perspective of an element 10,-of the tension illustrated in Fig. 9, and

Fig. 14 is avsection on the line Ill-I4, Fig. 1.

With reference to the drawings, I is a shuttle ofstandard form comprising the usual adjustable bobbin 2 and self-thread block 3. The

l45,-blockillustrated is also essentially of standard 'form and occupies the usual position within the -shuttle to which it is anchored inthe usual imannerA by means of a screw 4. As illustrated, the blockv3 has in its upper surface a longitudi- 50: nal threading slot located adjacent oneside of the-blockbody, this slot entering the longitudi- .nal chamber 6 of the block. As illustrated in lFi,g..2, theentrance slot 5 is bounded on one side bywa depending lip I which overlies and forms :=f.a cover for the chamber 6. The slot 5 isso'arned bythe lip 1. e

In accordance with our 1nvent1on, Vwe provide at the inner end of the block.3 an undercut recess 8, see Fig. 3, within which'is located our novel tensioning device. As shown invFigs. 2 to 7, inclusive, vthis tension `comprises a -body or fframe member 9 formed in the present instance of pressed metal. This body portion 9 comprises an upstanding arm II which, asshown in Fig. 2, bears against one Wall of the shuttle recess within which the thread block 3 is located. From 5,

the bottom of the arm II a base portion I2 eX- tends to the bottom of an oppositely arranged arm I3, this arm occupying aslot I0 in the opposite-wall of the thread block-receiving recess of the shuttle, and the base I2 bearing upon the, bottom wall of said recess. The arm I3 at its upperv end turns inwardly and downwardly to form an inclined abutment I4, the terminal end of which lies adjacent the upper surface of the base member I2 and is extended in an offset I5; along the upper face of the base member I2 to the inner face of the arm II.

As clearly shown in Fig. 4, the upper end of the arm II is provided with a notched recess I6 and with an elongated aperture' I'I, while the inclined abutment I4 is provided adjacent the upper end thereof WithY a relatively small indentation or recess I8, and below this recess and in a position diagonally opposite the opening I1 of the arm II, with a circular opening I9.

In assembly and as shown in Fig. 2, this body member is closely conned within the undercut recess V8 of the block 3, and between the walls of this recess and the side and bottom walls of the recess in the shuttle occupied by the block 3. It will be noted that the inturned upper end of the arms II and I3 ofthe body portion enlygage the top bounding wall of the undercut rement is such that from the lower end of the slot 5 the abutment I4 extends diagonally downward so as tointersect the end of the recess 6.

The tension device further comprises an element 2|, see Fig. 5, which as shown -in Fig. 2 is adapted to lie against the surface of the abutment I4. The member 2| is angular in form, and the arm 22 thereof which lies against the abutment I4 is provided with a projecting tongue 23, which in assembly registers with the recess I8 of the said abutment, and with an opening 24 which registers with the abutment opening I9. The arm 22 is provided at each side with wings 25 slightly angularly disposed with respect to the intermediate portion of the arm so that portion of the member 2| which adjoins the abutment I4 in effect is somewhat convexed. The other arm 26 of the member 2| extends in assembly away from the abutment I4, and the eX- tremity thereof occupies a position within the recess I6 at the upper end of the arm |I of the body member. This arm 2B of the member 2| is also provided with a depending lug 21 which in assembly constitutes a relatively large bearing for the member 2| upon the adjoining surface of the block 3, thereby preventing abrasion of'either the block or the element due to frictional contact and preventing the formation of wire edges that might adversely affect the yarn.

As shown in Fig. 2, the member 2| is held in position with respect to the body member by a pin 28 shown in perspective in Fig. 6. This pin passes through a port in the body of the shuttle I and through the apertures I'I and I9 of the body member of the tension and through the opening 24 of the member 2|. The outer end of the pin 28 is threaded, as clearly illustrated, into the shuttle body, the outer end surface of the pin being socketed for reception of a suitable wrench. The pin 28 is also provided with a shoulder 29 which forms a seat for one end of a spring 3 I, the other end of which spring bears upon the outer face of the arm 22-of the member 2|, as shown in Fig. 2. The opening 24 in the member 2| is suiciently larger than the pin 28 to permit substantially free movement of the member in a Adirection longitudinally'of the pin, 'and this movement is not restricted by the body member of the tension. It is apparent that by threading the pin 28 more or less deeply into the shuttle I, the effective tension of the spring 3| upon the member 2| tending to force that member against the abutment I4 'may be regulated.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, wherein the yarn is designated by the reference numeral 32, the latter normally is adapted to pass between the opposed faces of the abutment I4 and the arm 22 of the member 2|, and thence through the chamber 6 of the block 3. Resilient pressure is thus applied to the y-arn through the medium of the spring 3|, and the member 2|, and the force of this pressure may be regulated as previously described by adjustment of thepin 28. The pin 28 itself limits the downward movement of the yarn 32 between the surfaces of the tension between which it is conned, andthe tongue 23 on the member 2 I tends to limit the upward movement of the yarn 32 so that the latter is effectively confined between the opposed tension elements. In this manner, influences tending to displace the yarn from the tension are counteracted.

An important characteristic of the device resides in its relatively high efficiency as compared with prior devices of this general character in the self-threading operation. So far as we are aware, there has never, prior to our invention, been devised a tension for self-threading shuttles which will operate to take hold of the yarn immediately upon the entrance thereof to the thread block of the shuttle. Two or three picks were frequently required before the yarn properly entered the tension, with consequent undesirable effects upon the fabric. With our device, there is practical assurance that the first pick will result in the yarn not only entering the block but also the tension, so that the woven product is absolutely uniform. This is due not only to the structure of the tension itself but to its arrangement in the assembly and its relation to the slot 5 of the block. Yarn passing into the slot necessarily follows the course of least resistance which leads downwardly between the resilient opposed elements of the tension. This is due also in part to the position of the tension with respect to the eye and to the adjacent end of the bobbin, it having been found that this point is most favorable by reason of the relative freedom of the yarn at this position from the eccentric movements, which in the prior devices are in some part responsible for the relatively low efiiciency previously set forth.

Another desirable characteristic of our device resides in its substantial freedom from clogging due to accumulations of lint and dirt. The tension while retaining the necessary intimate association with the thread block is so exposed to the air currents as toinsure an efficient clearing away of the loose lint and dirt which otherwise might tend to accumulate and clog the device. It will be noted further that the tension is so located in the thread block of the shuttle that are not readily handled in prior tension devices of this general character. i

In Fig. 8, we have illustrated a modification within the scope of the invention. The structural form and disposition of the tension in the assembly are in this instance essentially the same as that previously described. The pin 28, however, shown in Fig. 6 is replaced by a pin 35 corresponding to the pin 28 with the threaded portion thereof removed. The pin 35 does not enter the body of the shuttle and is confined entirely to the body member of the tension as shown in Fig. 9. A spring 36 used with this pin and corresponding to the spring 3| previously described not only acts to hold the member 2| of the tension against the abutment I 4 but also holds the pin 35 in position. The body member of the tension shown in Fig. I0 is in this instance essentially the same as that previously described and illustrated in Fig. 4, and the parts thereof are designated by the same reference numerals previously used. It will be noted that in this case as well as in that previously set forth the opening I1 through which the pin projects is elongated so as to permit freedom of movement of those portions of the pins 28 or 35, as the case may be, which in assembly are positioned therein. This avoids the .necessity of careful machining in aligning the openings I1 with the openings I9 in the abutment I4. The mode of operation of this embodiment of our invention is in all respects similar to that previously described', this form of Heretofore it has been the device diiering from the other solely in the fact that the tension is not adjustable.

In Fig. 9, a still further modification is illustrated. This tension also is essentially the same as those previously set forth and differs therefrom primarily in the provision of an arm 31 provided on the tension element 2|a, this arm as shown in Fig. 9 being so positioned as to prevent the yarn passing through the tension from coming into contact with the pin 28 or falling into the area of the openings in the opposed tension elements through which the pin extends. Silk and other delicate yarns are sometimes abraded by contact with the edges of these openings, and such abrasion is prevented by provision of the said arm 31 which functions as described.

In the use of this tension, we have found it desirable, see Figs. 1 and 14, to so arrange the brushes 38, the function of which is to prevent undue lateral whip of the yarn leaving the bobbin, so that they do not contact with the bobbin, thus leaving a space through which the yarn may pass freely. Where the brushes touch the bobbin, there is a tension eiiect upon the yarn as it passes between the bobbin spindle and the brush which is added to the tension of the normal tension device. We have found that the tension device described above is so eiiicient and aiiords such a uniformity of strain upon the yarn that any further tensioning of the yarn is undesirable. By removing the brushes from contact with the bobbin, the entire tensioning of the yarn resides in the tension device. The brushes 38 at the same time, however, are effective to prevent the undesirable lateral Whipping of the yarn.

We claim:

1. In a self-threading shuttle, the combination with a threading block having a longitudinal yarn-receiving passage, a slot in the upper end of said block adjacent one side of said passage and communicating with the latter, a tensioning device at one end of said block comprising a relatively xed open frame having an arm extending diagonally across one end of said passage and with its upper end adjoining the said slot, and a thin floating bar paralleling and adapted to contact the face of said diagonal portion, a pin extending through the lower end of said floating and diagonal elements, a spring carried by said pin and tending to force said oating bar against said diagonally relatively fixed arm, and an arm extending from the upper end of said floating bar and having its terminal end loosely confined within a recess in said frame, said bar being substantially free to move to and from the opposed diagonal arm of said frame,

while being restrained from transverse displacement at both terminal ends. Y

2. In a tension for self-threading shuttles, the combination with a thread block having a longitudinal yarn-receiving passage and in its upper end a slot positioned adjacent one side of said passage and communicating with the latter, a yarn-tensioning frame at one side of said block relatively iixed with respect to the latter, said frame comprising an inclined portion the upper end of Which lies adjacent the said slot and extending diagonally across the end of said passage, an angular element having one arm paralleling and adapted to 4contact the face of said diagonal frame portion, and a second arm eX- tending from the upper end of the first-named arm and away from said diagonal frame portion, means engaging only the outer terminal end of each of said arms to prevent transverse displacement of the element with respect to the frame, and a spring resiliently forcing said element towards the opposed surface of said frame.

3. In a tension for self-threading shuttles, the combination with a thread block having a longitudinal yarn-receiving passage and in its upper end a slot positioned adjacent one side of said passage and communicating with the latter, a yarn-tensioning frame at one side of said block relatively xed with respect to the latter, said frame comprising an inclined portion the upper end of which lies adjacent the said slot and extending diagonally across the end of said passage, an angular element having a portion paralleling and adapted to contact the face of said diagonal frame portion, means engaging both terminal ends of said element to prevent transverse displacement thereof with respect to the frame, a spring resiliently forcing said element towards the opposed surface of said frame, and a flange carried by one arm of said element and constituting an extended bearing for said element upon the block.

4. A self-threading shuttle comprising a bobbin, a thread block positioned adjacent one end of the bobbin and having a longitudinal yarn-receiving passage, said thread block having also an undercut recess in the end thereof adjoining the bobbin, the inner end of which recess is defined by a substantially plane vertical Wall intersected by said passage, and a yarn-tensioning device coniined in said recess and comprising a substantially rigid frame secured in abutment with said Wall, and a thread-engaging element resiliently supported in the frame in substantial alignment with said passage.

ALLAN M. SERGESON. DANIEL B. MEEHAN. 

